Sneaky Snow White (Dark Fairy Tale Queen Series Book 2) by Anita Valle

house and stab them with a knife. This is bound to give me some scarring memories.
    “Hello, brat.”
    I shriek and whirl around. The old lady is back! She’s wearing a heavy brown cloak with a hood around her face and the pipe pokes out of the hollow. She grins and her stained, yellow teeth are disgusting.
    “Up early today, aren’t you?” she says.
    I drop my hand from my mouth to my chest and lean against the nearest birch tree. “Oh my stars, you scared me! Where did you come from?”
    “I followed you. Looked like you were up to no good and I see I’m right. That knife’s not for cutting a birthday cake, is it?”
    I draw out the dagger and hold it up for her to see. “No, it isn’t. And you better leave now before you become the cake.”
    “Ha!” Her sudden laugh blows a gust of smoke in my face. I cough and swat at the air while the old lady cackles. I really wish I had the power to scare people.
    “Nice try, pumpkin-pie. Now listen up! I’ve come to make a bargain with you.”
    “What bargain is that?”
    The old lady draws something out from under her cloak and holds it before my face. It’s an apple, plump and pretty, and pink as a carnation. “Leave my Cindy alone,” she says. “And you can have this.”
    I stare at it, awestruck. It’s too pink to be natural. Which means it’s enchanted. And I know of only one spell that makes an apple turn pink.
    “Is that-?”
    “Yep. A Love Apple.”
    I draw my breath. A Love Apple! I had all but forgotten. This will solve everything between me and Hunter, make him stay with me forever. I reach for the apple with trembling fingers. I knew the old lady had magic, I knew it!
    She pulls back. “First you must promise not to harm my Cindy. Give me the dagger to prove it. And everlasting love will be yours! Isn’t that what you want?”
    I bite my lip. Yes, that’s what I want. More than anything. Hunter loving me forever, even if it’s enchanted. I would rather have artificial love than an all-natural heartbreak.
    “Sure, yes, fine,” I say, anything to get that apple. The old lady smiles and drops it into my hand. “All yours, tootsie. Take it to your honey. But remember! The lady has to bite first.”
    I nod quickly though I don’t remember that part. But I did read the spell only once. “Thank you.” I hold out the dagger, blade downward. The old lady takes it and smirks. “Sweet dreams, angel-face.” She pokes the pipe in her mouth and walks away from me, chuckling to herself.
    I hurry up the path to the cottage door, grinning like a fool. This is so perfect! First, Hunter and I will bite the apple. Then I’ll take his hunting knife and kill Cinderella. He can’t hate me for it once he’s under the love spell. The Mirror and I will both get what we want. As for the old lady, I’m sure The Mirror can tell me how to handle her. The Mirror can do anything.
    I’m lifting my hand to knock on the door when suddenly it swings open. And there’s Cinderella, standing right in front of me.

~*~ 30 ~*~
     
    “Snow White?”
    “Hi.”
    “What are you doing here?”
    “I… came to see Hunter.”
    “Oh. He’s not here.” Cinderella doesn’t budge from the doorway. She’s carrying a fat basket that appears to be full of laundry.
    I drop my hand to my side, under the shawl, and hope she won’t notice the apple. “Do you know when he’s coming back?”
    “Soon, I think.” She just stands there, staring at me, not inviting me in. It’s so rude.
    I clear my throat. “So… how are the babies?”
    “Good. I was coming out to hang their clothes before they wake up.”
    I smirk. “I don’t remember you doing stuff like that.”
    “I did before… before I became the queen.” Cinderella sighs. “Come with me.” She leads me around the house to a little yard in the back. It’s mostly dirt, with weeds and wild flowers growing at the edges. There’s a clothesline strung from the house to a wooden pole, and a table with benches for eating